Dream Catcher

by Puking Coyote

The Great Soccer Game

Dream Catcher

By. Puking Coyote

Chapter 1

The Great Soccer Game

Warning: If you have not read My Little Dashie Jackson Series there might be confusion as to some of the characters and storyline. Also there are spoilers for My Little Dashie: Jackson Series.

There it was the foulest most gruesome evil thing that could be imagined lying on my plate and I was to eat it. I had only been visiting Aunt Dash for two days but I was already sick of eating her horrid food. Rainbow Dash the famous Wonderbolt from Ponyville was not my real aunt but I called her aunt anyway. She is a good friend of my family and is a totally awesome pony, she is actually the main reason that I want to someday become a wonderbolt, just like her. However for all her awesomeness she could not cook in fact I wouldn’t even call the stuff in front of me food. I looked away from the meal that was mocking me towards a picture on the wall of my parents with Aunt Dash. Mother was giving a huge smile while father was more serious looking for he did not like to show his emotions too often but I could still see happiness in his eyes.

“You miss them don’t you Dream Catcher?” Dash commented from across the table bringing me back from my thoughts. “Princess Luna and Prince Jackson will be back before you know it. They only go on these trips twice a year.”

“Yes, but soon I will be old enough to go with them to the royal celebrations” I replied. The Royal celebrations was a gathering high in the mountains of all the royalty in Equestria. I have yet to find out what they did up there but it must be something really cool for everypony always came back smiling looking fresh and revived.

“You don’t like hanging out with me?” Dash asked joking.

“No, of course I like hanging out with you Aunt Dash, you’re a wonderbolt and the coolest pony that I know!”

“Yeah, I guess that I am pretty cool aren’t I?” she replied.

I looked back at the picture and noted how little Dash was when it was taken in fact I think she was about the same size as me. Aunt Dash today however was almost a full grown pony and is considered the fastest Pegasus in the world. Mother had said that was because she spent all her time practicing flying which is also why she never settled down with some-pony. Even though she was not too focused on settling down Dash was always dating different guys from Canterlot.

“Hey Dash, how is Black Lightning I haven’t seen him in a while are you two still dating?”

She snubbed her nose “Hmph like I would be caught dead with him after what he did can you believe that he actually dumped me for Spitfire?”

“Oh, I’m sorry” I replied sadly for I always thought that Black Lightning was cool almost like an older brother.

Dash looked at me “Anyway, I will have to find another date to go with me to the Gala. What about you, have a pony that you are taking?”

“What?!” I asked surprised by the question. I moved my hoof out of reflex almost knocking the food in front of me onto the floor. I stared at the plate suddenly wishing that I had hit it harder.

“You know, has any girl caught your eye yet? You’re a prince don’t tell me that you haven’t meet any girls in your school.”

I turned away very aware that I was blushing “You know that Aunt Celestia and Twilight home school me so how am I supposed to meet anypony?”

Dash frowned “Still? Why do you need to be home schooled? I know that you’re still young but I think that you learned how to control your magic. However… I guess having the ability to mess with ponies’ heads is a dangerous ability to have.”

“I don’t mess with their heads! I just help them have the dreams that they need, be it a good dream or nightmare they both help the mind sort out problems that ponies are experiencing.”

She gave a small smile “what about the hallucinations that some ponies have?”

I quickly bit my tongue for I did not know what the hallucinations that some of the ponies that I used my magic on were caused by, thankfully though they never were affected for more than a week. I looked away over at a mirror on the side of the wall and saw an image of a small blue eyed black alicorn with a blue main that ended in green tips. Like my father I had what he called living energy coursing throughout my body much like the stripes on a zebra. These stripes glowed bright white and made it very hard to hide when I played hide and seek with my friends in the castle. “Maybe if I wore a coat…” I though.

“So, are you going to eat your dinner?” Dash asked me breaking my concentration.

“Wha…oh, I guess that I am not that hungry today Dash.”

“I get that you miss your folks but you should at least take a bite I worked very hard to make this for you.”

I took a big gulp and looked down at the blob on my plate “That’s what I’m afraid of” I thought to myself. The more that Dash seemed to work on a meal the worst it usually was and I was not particularly thrilled to be having to eat it. After a short while of quiet debate with myself I took a bite of the goop that was surprisingly crunchy even though it looked like a liquid. It was awful and I was fighting every urge that I had to puke it out right there and then. Just then there was a knock at the door. “Finnally!” I cried in my mind for I had planned a way out of having to eat Dashes cooking with my friend Fireball who was also a royal alicorn that was left while his parents Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance went to the celebrations.

Dash opened the door “Oh, hi Fireball what can I help you with?”

I looked towards the door at the fiery orange-red alicorn that was just a hair smaller than me but that was to be expected since I was three months older. He had been my best friend ever since we got our cutie marks together while training under Aunt Celestia. He got his which was a picture of a bluish red fireball when he made a volcano erupt during our studies. Not even an hour after when I fell asleep during a lecture I warped another students dreams by accident which unfortunately led to one of my famous hallucinations. My cutie mark looks like three Z’s just like you would see over a sleeping ponies head in a comic strip. Since that time Aunt Celestia has been homeschooling me. She is afraid that since my ability lets me enter a pony’s mind that I could cause damage to it however I don’t see how that is possible.

“I have to go Dream Catcher” Dash told me “apparently there’s trouble with the clouds schedule. If you and Fireball are going to play make sure you get back before it gets dark.”

“Ok” I replied. Dash then stretched her wings out and disappeared into the sky faster than any other pony that I knew could go. “Whew” I sighed as I spat out the bite that I took of Dashes’ food “you don’t know how glad I am to see you Fireball.”

Fireball took off his saddle bag and retrieved a sandwich from it “Here” he said tossing it to me “I thought that you would be hungry.”

“Thanks, you might have just saved my life.”

“Dashes cooking is not for the faint at heart only tough ponies can handle eating it.”

“Really, you think that you can handle it then?” I asked with a smirk.

“Sure I can! It’s all in the mind, right?”Fireball then walked up to the table and stared at the glob “are you sure this is food?”

I took a bite of the sandwich “Nope, but that’s the adventure isn’t it? To figure out if it is edible or not.”

Fireball then took a bite and began to chew with much difficulty, when he tried to swallow he took off towards the bathroom where the food came back up with a vengeance. “I can’t do it it’s too much.”

“Well I have to do something with it I can’t just throw it away Dash might see it. The last thing that I want to do is hurt her feelings.”

“Oh, I know!” Fireball then lifted the blob off the plate to the front lawn where it caught fire and fell to ashes onto the green grass. There it rested for a minute until a strong gust of wind blew it away. “See Dream Catcher? There’s no problem that fire can’t solve.”

“You are such a pyro.”

“Yep!”

I gave a small sigh “I hate wasting stuff but It was for the best.”

Fire ball then looked around “What do you want to do? I was thinking about getting some ponies together to play a game of baseball do you want in?”

“What about fishing?”

“um no. Are you kidding me? Fishing is the lamest thing ever I would prefer to do something rad like surfing, but we have no oceans around here so the next best thing that we can do is baseball.”

“Fishing’s not lame” I muttered.

“Fine it’s not lame, but what about the game are you in or out?”

I thought about it “I’m in.”

“Good lets go and find more players!” Fireball then flew off towards the school.

“Wait!” I then went into my room grabbed my glove and flew after him. When I arrived at the school Fireball had already collected a good team of ponies that were our age and was waiting for me to arrive.

“Hey, Dream Catcher you and me are captains” Fireball called to me. He then picked an extremely well built Earthpony called Buff to be on his team.

I looked at the group and saw Rimshot who was an Earthpony that excelled at jokes “I pick Rimshot.” Fireball then picked a Unicorn named starburst. “Ok, I pick Cloud Striker.”

“Yes!!! You won’t be sorry I will strike the ball so hard that there will be nothing left” A blue Pegasus screamed with excitement then flew down to my group.

“Hey Cloud Striker do you know why the horse laid a egg…” Rimshot began while Fireball picked Apple Tart who was an Earthpony that was related to Applejack.

“Conscious you’re on my team” I called to a purple unicorn that started to slowly walk towards us with her head down.

“Oh my, what if I can’t do this and the other ponies laugh at me, or some-pony gets injured and I have to take over the position of pitcher or even worst catcher I will surely get hit by the ball…” I heard her mumble to herself as she passed me to join the team.

This left a small brown Earthpony named Sprinkles “Ok then I get Sprinkles let’s start the game!”

“Wait we have uneven teams we need another player!” I cried after I made a quick head count.

“We can play like this” Fireball replied.

“No not with Buff on your team we won’t stand a chance.”

“What about me?” a voice called we both looked but did not see any pony there “On your right” the voice called again. The sound came from our left but the pony claimed to be on our right which meant that it could only be one pony, Screwball.

“Oh no” I said in my head. Screwball was the daughter of Discord the first ruler of Equestria and just like her name suggested she was screwy in every way possible. Even her voice did not come from her mouth like a normal pony but it came from elsewhere. I guess being so weird though was a curse that came from being the daughter of the spirit of chaos. Even though Screwball was of royal blood I did not like being around her because she was just sooo annoying. I looked over at the Purple Earthpony and noticed her cutie mark of a baseball with a screw by it as if to confirm that it was her.

“What do you say Dream Catcher! I’ll be the pitcher.” Before I could respond she took to the pitcher’s mound. Even though Screwball was an Earthpony she was able to use magic very similar to Discords although she could not fully control it yet. This is why when she took to the mound the ground became a little warped and little pony gnomes sprouted around it. In truth I was wanting to pitch but since she was a year older than me I didn’t dare say anything so instead I took first base.

Buff was up first “Ok here we go!” Screwball yelled and sent a wacky moving ball towards home plate. The ball not only moved around like a piece of paper in the wind but it also slowed down and sped up on its travel. Buff tried his best but he was quickly struck out followed by Fireball and Apple Tart. Soon we were up to bat and even though Screwball was surprisingly a good pitcher she was a lousy batter for her swings were just as wacky looking as her pitches. The game was going very well for us simply because nobody could hit screwballs pitches. This was making Fireball very mad.

“Take this!” he yelled as he pitched to Cloud Striker however the ball never made it because during the pitch it caught on fire and disintegrated before it even crossed home plate.

“Why did you do that Fireball? Now we don’t have a ball!” Cloud Striker yelled.

“Well I guess this is what they would call a hot game” Rimshot joked to himself while we all went to the pitcher’s mound.

Fireball looked at us “Sorry I didn’t mean to destroy the ball.”

“What now?” I asked.

“I guess we should play another game, how about possums creek?” Screwball replied.

“Possums creek? I really don’t think that I want to play with possums Screwball.”

She looked at me curiously “Why would there be possums in Possums creek?” she replied. I did not even want to ask because her logic never made sense.

Just then the space around us began to shift and we appeared in the air standing upside down. “Umm, Screwball do you think that you can let us down sugar?” Apple Tart asked.

“Sorry I can’t control my powers that well” she replied.

“She warps the space around her all the time don’t worry it usually goes back to normal just wait a few minutes” I replied.

"Usually?" Apple Tart asked a little worried.

“What do you mean back to normal? For all we know this could be normal” Screwball replied.

I put my hoof to my head suddenly getting a headache “I swear Screwball I am going to fill your dreams with so many nightmares that you will not be able to go to sleep ever again.” Just then her power waned and we reappeared onto the ground.

“I know!” Fireball exclaimed “soccer! Let’s play some soccer.”

“I don’t know” Buff replied “I wanted to play baseball and besides we can’t really match up to the three of you and your magic.”

“I told you that I’m sorry it was just an accident.”

“No it was not just you but Screwball as well” Sprinkle replied. “Besides I have to be getting home” He then took off towards the town. The others soon followed all except Fireball, Screwball, Cloud Striker, and myself.

“Well I don’t have to go home yet besides I have been challenged and I have never been dishonored by backing away from a challenge so let’s get this game started” Cloud striker stated. “Power or no power I will be victorious in fact you three use your magic, all the more glory when I beat you!”

“Sounds good to me” Fireball replied. “As long as I don’t fall asleep from boredom I will win this easily.”

“Don’t underestimate me Fireball I might not be able to use magic but I still can take you on.”

“You should watch it Striker or you might just get burned.”

Cloud striker gave a slight grin as he got into Fireballs face “I will crush you like Mr. Fancypants Crushed Rarities carrier.”

“Yeah, just you try it.”

“So I guess you two are on different teams?” I asked. They both looked at me with scolds on their faces “Ok, sorry I asked. But there is one little problem with this game though.”

“Really what?” Fireball asked.

“We have no ball.”

They both looked at me with blank stares “Well… I guess that is a problem” Cloud striker finally replied. “But don’t you worry on my honor I will scour the village until I find a soccer ball worthy of our game” he then stretched his wings and took off.

We all knew that when Cloud Striker swore upon his honor he would not stop until his promise was fulfilled he was kind of an honor nut. I remember when a cat ran off into Everfree Forest when he was visiting Fluttershy and he swore upon his honor that he would find it. A day after Cloud Striker entered the Forest the cat came back on its own but Cloud Striker didn’t know that. It took us two weeks to find him and when we did we learned that he was not lost but still looking for the cat. He was without a doubt the most dependable pony that I had ever known. I looked up in the sky and sure enough Cloud Striker was coming back with a saddle on his back he soon landed and unloaded a small pile soccer balls.

“Alright!” Fireball shouted and picked one up “now I can prove to you why I am the number one athlete in Equestria.”

“Ugh, self given titles how dishonorable” Cloud Striker replied.

“But it’s true why should I wait to be given a title that I already deserve?”

“Because it’s not right what if I declared myself master of the universe, does that have any sway with other ponies? Of course not! They would just laugh because it has no meaning behind it and that’s why self proclaimed titles are dishonorable they are no better than lies.”

“Hmmm how about this then whoever wins this game will be given the title soccer king that sound good?”

“Betting is also dishonorable.”

“What, how?!”

“Because games of chance even when you win do not come about by skill so you cannot be measured properly by them.”

“Yes, but this is not a game of chance but of skill” I replied thinking about his reasoning.

Cloud Striker thought about it “I guess that you are right fine I will take on this challenge and compare my honor to royalty!” He then started towards his side of the soccer court. “Screwball wake up we have a game to win!” Screwball had apparently fallen asleep during the argument and was with some help by Cloud Striker waking up from her slumber.

“Morning already? But the Wortux had not even whispered yet.”

“Wortux?”

“Yes the thing that crows ever so softly in the mornings.”

Striker thought about it “Oh a rooster!”

Screwball gave him a confused look “Rosters don’t crow softly, they are loud noisy things Wortux’s crow softly.” Cloud Striker did not know how to respond to this comment.

“Probably a warped roster that her father made” I commented to Fireball who did not respond he was too deep in thought about the upcoming game to hear me.

I took to the goal while Fireball and Striker meet in the middle of the field I could not hear what they were saying but their look was intense. Just then Screwball blew a whistle and a ball appeared between the two of them and the game had begun. I liked being a goalie because all I had to do was wait for the ball to come to me which was less tiring than being in the outfield. Fireball and Cloud Striker had been stealing the ball from each other using every soccer trick that they knew but Fireball had the clear advantage from his magic. He quickly learned to levitate the ball away from Striker and was now heading towards Screwball who was for some reason looking away from the action to the back of the net.

“Screwball!!!” Striker yelled chasing after Fireball as quickly as he could but he was too late for the ball was sent flying towards the net but just before it entered it disappeared.

“What the?!” Fireball cried “Screwball what did you do?”

I did not hear her reply because a sudden blow to the back of my head sent me to the ground. I opened my eyes and saw the soccer ball roll slightly in front of me “Teleportation? No, that’s not it” I thought to myself. I then realized that she had opened a portal in front of her goal to our goal “Why did they agree to powers?” I asked myself as the realization that mine was almost useless outside of the dream world.

“Our point” Striker replied with a grin.

“Not fair!” Fireball yelled. “How are we suppose to get a goal if it’s blocked?”

“Hey we agreed that magic was allowed” Striker said as the ball appeared before them again. Fireball took the ball and rushed at the opposite goal, he quickly shot a fireball from his mouth then threw the ball.

“Oh, I see” I thought to myself “the fireball will be transported by the portal and when it fluxes the ball will go into the goal. Wait…the fire ball will go through, Oh Crap!” I looked back just in time to see the wall of flame. I screamed as it sent me flying out of the goal.

“Yeah take that!” I could hear Fireball shout in the distance.

I gave a sigh and watched as smoke came out of my mouth “This game is going to be the end of me” I mumbled to myself as I got back up. I got up just in time to see Striker heading to our goal with the ball “No!” I quickly rushed towards him but I was going to be too late just then my horn glowed and the goal I could feel split into three before Strikers eyes. I suddenly realized that I could cause ponies to see hallucinations when they were awake. Striker however guessed at a goal which was in fact the right one and threw the ball but before it entered the net it was disintegrated by a wall of flame.
I thought about what had happened “Holy cow Aunt Dash was right I can mess with ponies minds!” I finally concluded.

“Hey that was a nice trick Dream Catcher but I could still tell from where the goals split from what the right target was, besides the mimics were a little hazy you should work on that” Striker commented.

“What are you talking about?” Fireball asked.

“Nothing Dream Catcher just tried to trick me with a hallucination but it failed.”

“Really, he could give you a hallucination even when you are not sleeping? Yes! You know what this means? We are going to win.” Fireball then looked at me “try to distract Screwball while I go for the net!” he then took another soccer ball and sent a fireball and the ball at their net just like he did before. I tried to give Screwball a hallucination of her protecting the wrong net but she saw right through it and shrunk their net to a miniature scale after the fireball went through the portal, this caused Fireballs shot to miss. Just then I felt heat on my back and cursed I had totally forgot where that portal went in my attempt to mess Screwball up.

Again I was sent from the net onto my face when I came too I realized that the game was still going. “What they did not even realize that I was knocked out?” Just then a stray stream of fire leapt from Fireballs back and struck at the soccer ball going towards the goal it however missed and struck the pile of balls that we had disintegrating them. “You are such a pyro!” I screamed at Fire ball as he passed knocking the ball from Striker.

“Dream Catcher get back to the goal!” Just then Striker took the ball and sent it towards our goal “No” Fireball screamed I looked back just as he opened his mouth letting more flame erupt towards the ball and to me. Unfortunately he was off on his target and missed the ball but he did hit me, but this time he saw it happen.”

“Dream Catcher I am so sorry I didn’t see you!” he said coming up to see if I was ok Striker and Screwball also came to see what happened.

“Fishing” I replied laying on my back.

“What?”

“I wanted to go fishing” I repeated getting up “but noooo it’s to lame you said. Let me tell you something Fireball nobody ever gets burnt to a crisp while fishing.”

“Sorry but I…Hey!” He then went after Striker who took the ball and was now heading towards our goal. I then saw Fireball getting ready to incinerate the soccer ball when I remembered that he burnt the pile that we had. This was the last soccer ball!

“Wait, Fireball!” I shouted as I tried to use my magic to counter Fireballs flame. Screwball also used her magic and they all collided with an explosive force, the next thing that I knew we were thrown back then suddenly sucked forward into some Dark passage. I opened my eyes and could see the sun’s rays as the four of us were dragged deeper into some type of purplish blue portal then the entrance shut. A sudden realization of pain and fear hit as we started to what I can best describe as dissolving into space. I looked around in the vortex at my friends and watched in horror as one by one they slowly faded away then I too slipped into nothingness.

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